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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is a membership society for the study of aging, and it also publishes five peer-reviewed journals. This page tells a researcher or research administrator what GSA is, who can join, where each of its journals takes submissions, and what its interest groups and fellowship are. Everything below is as described on the official GSA pages on 2026-11-08.
What the Gerontological Society of America is and who runs it
GSA describes itself as an interdisciplinary organization devoted to aging, founded in 1945, and as the oldest and largest organization of its kind, working across research, education and practice. Its stated mission is to “promote the study of aging and disseminate information to scientists, decision makers, and the general public.” It reports more than 6,000 members from over 50 countries and an office in Washington, DC (source: geron.org/about-us).
GSA is a learned society, not a funder. The About page describes no grant or award program for outside applicants. For the field it serves, see what gerontology is and how geriatrics differs from gerontology.
Who can join (eligibility)
The membership page presents membership as open to “everyone”, naming students, early-career researchers, professionals and retirees. It states no formal eligibility test, and it does not list dues on that page, so check the current dues table there before budgeting (membership categories and dues).
What membership provides
- Access to GSA’s journals.
- The Annual Scientific Meeting. GSA says it draws over 4,500 professionals and more than 500 sessions.
- A searchable membership directory.
- Interest groups for cross-disciplinary topics.
- Advocacy updates that track federal actions, including funding.
- A community of peers.
GSA journals and where to submit
GSA lists five journals, all peer-reviewed. Authors submit through ManuscriptCentral; the address differs for each title (geron.org/publications). Member access runs through a geron.org login to the Oxford University Press site; Gerontology & Geriatrics Education is accessed through Taylor & Francis.
| Journal | Access and publisher as listed | Submission site |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation in Aging | Member access via Oxford University Press site | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/innage |
| The Gerontologist | Member access via Oxford University Press site | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tg |
| Journals of Gerontology: Series A (Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences) | Member access via Oxford University Press site | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jgbs |
| Journals of Gerontology: Series B (Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences) | Member access via Oxford University Press site | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jgps |
| Gerontology & Geriatrics Education | Official journal of AGHE, published with Taylor & Francis | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/gge |
For one title in depth, see The Gerontologist. The general concept is covered in peer review.
Reviewing and supplements
To review, create an account on the relevant journal’s submission site and select expertise keywords. GSA also lists sponsored supplement issues, described as peer-reviewed, funded collections.
Application and participation steps
- Choose a membership category on the dues page and join.
- Log in, then go to Membership, Member Center, Update Profile, Interest Group Preferences, and select groups. GSA notes the choice can take up to an hour to appear under “My Communities” on GSA Connect.
- To publish, pick the journal whose scope matches your work and submit through its ManuscriptCentral site.
- To referee, register on the same site and set expertise keywords.
Interest groups and fellows
GSA describes interest groups as cross-disciplinary and as offering “year-round opportunities for networking, sharing resources and information” (interest groups).
Fellow is the society’s top membership tier and is described as “peer recognition for outstanding contributions to the field of gerontology.” It recognizes research, teaching, administration, public service, practice and involvement in the Society. GSA’s 2025 announcement named 47 fellows, split by section as shown (2025 fellows release).
| Section (2025) | Fellows |
|---|---|
| Behavioral and Social Sciences | 18 |
| Social Research, Policy, and Practice | 16 |
| Health Sciences | 11 |
| AGHE | 1 |
| Biological Sciences | 1 |
Typical timeline phases
GSA’s pages give no fixed calendar for joining. Membership and interest-group choices are made through the member account. Manuscript and review timelines are set by each journal, so read the journal’s own instructions after you reach its submission site.
Common mistakes
- Treating GSA as a funder. The About page lists no grant program; look to funders for grants.
- Assuming one submission site. Each journal has its own ManuscriptCentral address.
- Assuming every journal is accessed the same way. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education is listed as the official journal of AGHE and is accessed through Taylor & Francis, not Oxford University Press.
Related pages
| If you need | See |
|---|---|
| The field GSA studies | What is gerontology |
| The clinical counterpart | What is geriatrics |
| The difference between the two | Geriatrics vs gerontology |
| One GSA journal in depth | The Gerontologist |
FAQ
What is the Gerontological Society of America?
An interdisciplinary aging organization founded in 1945 that promotes the study of aging, holds an Annual Scientific Meeting and lists five peer-reviewed journals.
Who can join GSA?
GSA’s membership page describes membership for students, early-career researchers, professionals and retirees, with no formal eligibility test stated.
Does GSA fund research?
The About page describes no grant program. Its membership benefits include advocacy updates that track federal actions, including funding.
Which journals does GSA list?
Innovation in Aging, The Gerontologist, Journals of Gerontology Series A and Series B, and Gerontology & Geriatrics Education (the official journal of AGHE).
How do I become a GSA Fellow?
Fellow is the top membership tier and recognizes outstanding contributions to gerontology. The announcement describes the recognition but no nomination steps, so none are given here.
Sources
- GSA, About Us, https://www.geron.org/about-us (read 2026-11-08)
- GSA, Membership categories and dues, https://www.geron.org/membership/membership-categories-and-dues (read 2026-11-08)
- GSA, Publications, https://www.geron.org/publications (read 2026-11-08)
- GSA, Interest groups, https://www.geron.org/membership/interest-groups (read 2026-11-08)
- GSA, Gerontological Society of America selects 2025 fellows (press release), geron.org (read 2026-11-08)
